Immunity
by mcwheatley
Summary: Completed! Riddick gets a second chance.
1. Default Chapter

Immunity

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Warnings: None really. Language. Mild sex. Mild Violence. No Spoilers

Summary: Riddick gets a second chance.

Disclaimers: Don't own any of them. Not getting a penny.

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The panel beeped, bringing Ailis O'Neill out of her reverie. It beeped again. Reaching forward to the control panel, she depressed the annoying button. It immediately sprang to life.

"This is Space Station Indigo. Identify yourself."

'Here we go.' "This is Embassador Ailis O'Neill. Id number AO042559547. Request permission to dock." This was always the tedious part. Next would be the thermal scan that they would do of her and her ship to find out exactly how many bodies were on the ship. It didn't hurt, but left an unnatural silence for minutes at a time. Time for her to be shot out of space if someone was so inclined. And someone was. Marcus. Marcus was a merc that she had a very nasty run in with. Not something she wanted to repeat. She shook her head to get that unpleasant thought out of her brain.

The communicator sprang to life again. "Welcome to Space Station Indigo, Embassador O'Neill. After docking, please report to Infirmary for DC." DC being 'disease control.' Everyone reported to the local doc and had their DNA scanned. It was to read whatever nasty creepy crawly you might be carrying. It also served to identify you in case you 'borrowed' an ID number. Ailis didn't have to. Diplomatic immunity was a wonderful thing.

The comm shut off suddenly and Ailis could feel her Undercutter being towed into a docking bay. She only felt the slight bump as her craft was secured to the dock. Ailis liked the Undercutter. Mostly for its speed and maneuverability. She could out run most ships with this beauty. The cloaking devise on board was one she had especially installed. No one was going to find it unless she wanted them to. And as she mostly traveled alone, against the wishes of her peers mind you, she needed speed and stealth.

0o0o0o

Making her way to Infirmary, Ailis didn't fail to notice the cramped walkway. There weren't many people walking around, it was just narrow. And it smelled. Smelled like big, sweaty men. Men who hadn't taken a good shower in weeks, perhaps months. It actually smelled like some prisons she worked in. Ailis grinned, thinking that it was perhaps true.

The door opened for her automatically, reading her presence. Giving a nod to the secretary, she sat down in one of the many, available chairs. Apparently, it was a slow night. Or day. It was hard to guess when you didn't get to see the sun. Her internal clock was saying night. That and the fact that she was tired. She was too damn tired.

The nurse caught her attention and motioned her to come inside the office. It was a painless procedure. Blood was taken and tested. All there was to it. After taking her blood, the nurse, told her to wait until the doctor could come and give her results. DNA reading never took that long. Five minutes at most. Unlike Earth, which took hours, if not days. Laying her head against the wall, Ailis let her eyes close. Boy, she was more tired than she thought.

"Ahem." Ailis didn't respond at first. Oh, she heard the man come in, but, hell, she was tired. "Ahem." Was heard again. 'Damn. Must wake up now.' She lifted her head and looked at the doc.

"Hello, Ailis. What brings you to my neck of space?" Doctor Steven Daus asked.

"Hi, Steven. Just business." Ailis knew Dr. Daus. As an Embassador, she had many an occasion to visit prisons and penal planets. Most of the inmates would try to get out of their lot in life by trying to barter their way out. Or lie. That's when she was called in. Do research on that particular inmate, then decide what the best course of action was. In most cases, the criminal was just that, a criminal.

She met Steven at Tangiers Penal Colony. A nasty sort of place. He had been the resident doc. And that's what he was then, a resident. Right out of school, most new doc's were placed at these facilities to gain experience. Mostly because the older doctors wouldn't be caught dead in places like that. With the fighting and the many diseases they encountered, a new doctor soon learned his job. But, Steven seemed to enjoy it. He had been at Tangiers for five years by the time she met him. She had seen first hand at the repair jobs he had done on many undeserving men. She couldn't quite remember what led them to become friends, they just were.

"You know what I found, didn't you?" He had a look of...disappointment on his handsome face.

"How could you?" Doctor Steven Daus was a few years older than her, 38. He was roughly 5'9" with blonde hair and incredibly light blue eyes. If they had been any lighter, they would blend into the whites. He was the best damn physician she had ever came across out here in space.

Ailis looked him in the eye and snerked. "If you were in my shoes and the occasion presented it's self, would you pass it up?" Goading Steven was one the things she enjoyed doing. Mostly because he gave it back.

"But...but...? Oh, I suppose you're right. I knew it was bound to happen. How long ago?" He sat at a desk and propped his feet up. This was going to be good. He had often wondered how long it would take those two.

"About a month before he was captured by John's." Ailis shrugged her shoulders.

Steven dropped his feet and sat up. This was interesting. "Almost two years ago? How in perdition could that be?" Maybe all the speculation was true. Richard Riddick had finally found his mate.

"I dunno, Steven. I was hoping you could tell me."

Steven thought for a bit. Pinching his chin in thought. Ailis smiled, he always did that while thinking. "After two years, his DNA marker is still in your body. Musta been some night."

"And day, and night, and day. Need I go on?" Ailis was laughing now.

He couldn't help but laugh along with her. She had one of those infectious laughs. It sounded like music. "No. No. I get the point. Must have been something. I'll check it out and get back to you." He sat back in his chair. His look had suddenly gone serious. "You're not here looking for him are you?"

"No. I'm not. I'm looking for someone else. And I have some stuff for Embassador Gaius." Ailis dropped her head. "Besides, I heard about that crash. They say Rid died in that crash." There was a noticeable hint of sadness in her voice.

Steven leaned forward and placed his hand on Ailis' for comfort. "I'm not sure what to say about that. Anyway, who are you looking for? Maybe I can help."

"A Muslim holy man who goes by the name Imam." She pulled a picture out of the briefcase she was carrying. "He was supposed to meet people on Helion Prime, in New Mecca. And didn't show. His family and friends have done everything they can and have exhausted their resources. They asked me to help. So here I am. Asking at every place I stop at."

He took the photo and looked at it. "I'll see what I can do to help." He stood up and so did Ailis. "Tell you what. It's late. Get settled in and take care of your business. We'll meet for coffee tomorrow morning. Around ten. Go get some sleep."

Ailis nodded and gave her friend a hug. He was one of the few friends she had that didn't lecture her on her past 'activities.' And she knew that he was one of the few people that Riddick considered a friend. If she couldn't be with him, she may as well be with his friends. She had to take comfort where she could find it.

0o0o0o

After Ailis left, Dr. Steven Daus immediately punched his comm unit. Finally locating who he was looking for, he waited for the man to respond.

"What do you want Daus? I'm kinda busy here." Came the deep voice of Richard B. Riddick.

"Nice to talk to you too, Riddick. Get your ass over here. I've got something to tell you."

"Can it wait?" He did not sound happy. But then again, he never really sounded happy anymore.

"No. It's important. I'll see you in a few." He closed the connection.

Steven sat back in the chair looking over the results of Ailis' DNA scan. He still couldn't believe what he saw. It shouldn't be. Not after two years. Though he wasn't sure how his friend would take it, he had to let Riddick know she was here. Better to let him know and be prepared, than have it be a surprise. Riddick didn't do well with surprises. Not anymore. He had known there was a connection between the two, but Riddick wasn't talking. Now the cat was out of the bag. And hell, he was going to help his friend. Both of them.

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A/N: Forgot I had this. Been nearly a year now. Saw 'Chronicles' last night. If I get a positive response to this, I'll post the rest. So let me know. 


	2. 2

Immunity - Chapter 2

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Warning: Don'town a thing.

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Riddick stalked to infirmary. 'What the hell does Daus want now?' He hadn't had a good morning. Or afternoon. Or evening. It was just an all around shitty day. Jack had spent the better part of the morning bitching. He hated women bitching. Or crying. Jack had done that, too. She tried to get out of going to class, but he wasn't having none of that shit. If there was one thing he was going to do right by Jack, was that she was going to get an education. He wasn't happy being on this heap of metal, but at this moment, he didn't have another option. Embassador Gaius and Doctor Steven Daus had offered him temporary immunity on this station. Provided that he behave and did right by Jack. But he didn't want to stay here ten years.

Later that morning, at the docks, a critical shipment didn't come in. The foreman had got in it his skull that he, Riddick, was responsible. Called it 'theft.' Theft hell, where was he going to put it? In his pants? Well, a quick search of his quarters proved that. The missing shipment was just getting in when Daus made his call. Though he didn't say, he was glad for the reprieve. He just wondered what the doc wanted.

As the door slid open, Riddick went past barely giving the secretary, Minnie, acknowledgment. Minnie was scared shitless of Riddick, and he meant to keep it that way. She had made it known that she didn't approve of an escaped convict among free men and women.

He opened the door to Dr. Daus' office slowly, without noise. It wasn't a conscious effort. Just habit. Seeing that the doc wasn't there, he took a seat. Sitting there, he noticed a faint smell of cocoa butter. It triggered a long buried memory. He tried, but he couldn't place that scent.

Steven entered his office from another door, which Riddick knew to be his lab. The other man gave him a curt nod and sat in another chair, not speaking.

"Okay." Riddick spoke first. "What's this about and why are you giving me that look?"

Steven placed a folder on his desk and continued to stare at Riddick. "You just couldn't keep your hands off her, could you?" He gave his friend a hard glare.

Riddick tried his best innocent face, but knew he failed miserably. "Excuse me? What are you talking about?" He honestly didn't know what was going on. He had done so many things in the past. He didn't like how the doc was looking at him. Musta been bad, whatever it was.

Steven was still giving Riddick a death glare. He could actually see the big man start to get nervous. "Think real hard, man. Think prison. Tangiers."

Now THAT made him think harder. Not a place he wanted to revisit, even in his dreams, nightmares, whatever. The smell of cocoa butter was getting stronger. 'Oh, shit.' He remembered that scent. A very nice scent at that. "Oh. That." Riddick actually started to look sheepish. "How did you find out?"

Steven opened the folder and pointed to two separate DNA strands. "Notice anything about them?" He knew the big man wouldn't, he just wanted him to sweat it out a little more.

Riddick came in closer to look. Confusion written clearly on his face. "No. What am I supposed to be seeing?" He wasn't a doctor. He didn't even pretend to know what he was looking at. "DNA?"

Steven gave a frustrated sigh. 'Keep it simple, stupid.' "The strand on the left is yours. The strand next to that is Ailis'. There are similarities that shouldn't be there. She has your DNA still in her body." He sat back to judge Riddick's reaction. It was priceless.

He went pale. And Steven could almost see a sheen of sweat on that bald head. "Look, doc, it was two years ago. I swear I haven't seen her since." A thought suddenly entered his brain. He looked up. "She's here isn't she?" Steven nodded. "Is she in trouble?" Then, as an after thought, "Because of me?"

Steven's look softened towards his friend. It had taken a long time for the two to become friends and he wanted to keep it that way. Riddick trusted only a handful of people in this great wide universe and he was one of them. And the petite little Embassador was another. In fact, he trusted Ailis more that he trusted Steven. And it was okay with him that he did, as she just may be his salvation.

"Yes, Riddick, she is here. And I don't know if she's in trouble. You know she wouldn't say, even if she was. But, she is here by herself. I wanted to let you know before you stumbled into her." His voice dropped a bit more. "And I wanted to see if there were still feelings."

Richard Riddick was at a loss for words. She did that to him. All he could do was nod. Shit, shit, shit. He had never expected to see her again. That's why he had slept with her. To feel her one last time. He could still remember the feel of her, the scent of her. He slumped in his chair. Which was almost comical as he was 6'2" and 90 kilos of solid muscle. He prayed to what ever God there was, that she wasn't running from something he had done. He wouldn't be able to take that. He looked back at Steven waiting for him to say more.

And he did. "She thinks you're dead." Oh. "I'm supposed to meet her tomorrow with information on someone she's looking for. Someone you know. Imam." He regarded Riddick for a few more moments before continuing. "Maybe you could share your information with her."


	3. 3

Immunity - Chapter 3

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Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.

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Ailis had gone to Embassador Gaius before going to her assigned quarters. It was only paperwork. Not much to be said between the two. They were colleagues and good friends. He was a good man, better than most. But she was tired. She had wanted nothing more than to deliver her package and go rest until tomorrow. She enjoyed Steven's company and was looking forward to it.

Stepping out of the shower toweling her hair, she stopped suddenly. A feeling started in the pit of her stomach. Like butterflies. Shaking it off, she finished drying and pulled on her long, fluffy robe, taking the time to lather herself with cocoa butter. Laying down on the small bed she was immediately asleep.

0o0o0o

_Ailis was sitting stiffly in the warden's chair. Waiting. Waiting for the next schmuck to come in and tell her he was innocent. She was getting tired of this game. Not one of the stories she had heard today were worth her time. 'One more and I can go home.' She looked down at the list of names. Richard B. Riddick, mass murderer. Multiple convictions of theft, desertion and murder. 'Oh this aught to be interesting. What was Daus thinking this time?' Were her first thoughts._

_He came in and sat down in the chair opposite her. She took the time to look him over. He was roughly 6'2". And solid muscle. 'Wow.' Was one thought that came to her head. 'Talk about a fine specimen of a man.' His hands were cuffed in front of him to allow for more comfortable seating. At first, Ailis thought about telling the guard to remove the binds. Then she thought better of it. Tales of his escapes had reached even her. And she was enjoying the play in his muscles due to the position of his arms. _

_She cleared her throat. "Okay, Mr. Riddick. Kindly remove the goggles." He did and she took a good look his eyes. "Sweet. Must make for hella sun glare."_

_He actually chuckled at that. "Sure does." _

_Ailis sat back in her chair, crossing her legs. By the way he was looking at her legs, she was glad that she wore the skirt. She cleared her throat. "Alright. I've read over your past...um...history. It's quite colorful. What do you think I can do for you?"_

"_Honestly?" She nodded. "There's nuthin' you can do for me. I'm a lost cause. They ain't never gonna let me out of here. Voluntarily."_

_She looked at him hard. Or she tried to. "Nice grammar. I don't like people wasting my time, Mr. Riddick. Why are you here then?" The games were tiresome._

_Ailis watched Riddick shrug his big shoulders. MMM...very sexy. "Some fool of a headshrinker seems to think that I need rehabilitating and to ask you to commit me to a mental facility." He looked skeptical. No, make that...amused._

"_Ah huh." She opened the thick file and scanned the first page. "A recent psych eval says you are a violent sociopath with primitive fight or flight response. Do YOU think you can be rehabilitated?" Stupid question. But, one that needed to be asked._

"_Nope." Honesty is a wonderful thing. He brought those eyes very close to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the guard come closer. She put a hand up to stop him._

_Ailis leaned forward and looked him dead in the eyes. "So why are you wasting my time?"_

"_Because." He paused. Probably for effect. Ailis could swear she could see amusement in those shined eyes of his. "Good ol' Doc Daus said you were a hottie. I tend to agree."_

_Ailis looked at the man seated across from her and lost it. The tears started. She started laughing so hard, her sides hurt. The big man in front of her didn't laugh out loud, though he was smiling. She watched as the guard took him away._

_She was lost. She fell for him right there._

In her dreams, Ailis was smiling, remembering her first encounter with Richard Riddick.

0o0o0o

Richard Riddick was unsure of his next course of action. Ailis was here, on this space station. Imagine that. At first, he wanted to go and find her. Then, he thought better of that. Didn't want to scare her off, she thought he was dead. He fought the driving urge to seek her out and decided to head back to his quarters and see her tomorrow. He needed more time to figure out what he was going to do.

Entering the quarters he shared with Jack and Imam, he tried to go quietly into his own room. He really wasn't in the mood to talk to anybody. But, Jack cornered him as soon as he stepped through the door.

"Hey, Rid. In a better mood?" He looked at the girl, 15 and hormonal. Better mood? She was the one who had been so bitchy. Better mood? Shit. Women.

"No, I'm not. I just wanna go to bed." He said as he passed into the bathroom all three shared. He turned around again. "And you are going to class tomorrow. No bullshit."

Jack waved him off. "Alright, alright. Don't let your panties bunch." She turned back to the book she had been reading as he went into the bathroom and showered.

Returning to his room, he lay down. Sleep overcame him almost immediately.

_He had her pinned up against the wall. Her arms held up by only one of his hands. Bringing his head down he kissed her neck, trailing his tongue to her earlobe. He sucked on the small lobe. She moaned and leaned into him. Bringing his face around he captured her lips with his own, taking in the full taste of her. He was surprised when her tongue darted out, tasting his. Deepening the kiss, he brought his free hand to her breast. He gave a moan of his own. Breaking the kiss, he picked her up and brought her over to the small bed. He swiftly covered her._

_Looking directly in her eyes, he took in the sight of her. She was absolutely beautiful. Five feet of pure fire. He couldn't believe she was here, under him. He had lusted after her since he first saw her, and now he wanted to be sure that this was what she wanted. He wasn't into rape. "Are you sure that this is what you want?" 'Please, let this be what she wants.'_

_She had answered him by pulling him into another deep kiss that left him senseless. And he was lost. He would give his life for her._

0o0o0o

Riddick woke up with a start. His breathing labored and covered in sweat. Falling back on the bed he grinned at the ache he had below the belt. If he played his cards right, he would have a cure for that ache.


	4. 4

Immunity - Chapter 4

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Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

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FitMama: I'm glad that you like it. I wondered if it would fly.

blondevor: I'm glad you think he's in character. I tried. But you may not think it by the end of this. And thank you. Ailis is my first character. She's actually a Stargate character. And I've got plenty of her and Riddick. I just have to post them. AU is a wonderful thing.

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The cantina was dark, murky. Riddick didn't much care for the place except that it was easy on his eyes. He didn't have to wear his goggles here, they sat perched on top of his head.

Scanning the room, he finally spotted who he was looking for. He took the time to take in the sight of her. She looked the same. Her hair was shorter, cut to right below her ears. It showed off her long neck. She had no jacket on. She was wearing a black tank top which showed her USMC tattoo on her left arm. He smiled at that. He sometimes had trouble picturing her as a Marine. Her arms were toned and tanned. She had seen the sun, something that he actually missed being in. And she had her gun. A Browning Hi-Power 9mm. Being an Embassador, she was allowed to carry a gun, something he envied of her.

She sat calmly drinking what he knew was coffee. She would drink coffee in her sleep if she could. The 'Elixir of life,' she called it.

Walking slowly towards her table, he suddenly hesitated. It had been two years. What if she didn't want to see him? She was expecting Daus. Giving his head a quick shake, he continued to her.

She looked up just as he approached the table. She couldn't believe her eyes. He was dead, wasn't he? She could feel her jaw drop and did nothing about it. Gawd! Her heart slammed into her throat. He hadn't changed. No. No. No. No. No. This isn't supposed to be happening. It must be a dream. It HAS to be a dream.

Riddick sat in a chair opposite her, unsure of how to begin. "Hi." It was no dream.

Ailis took a deep breath. "Hi, yourself. Are you real?" She felt the tears well in her eyes, but didn't let them fall. He reached over and placed her hand in his. 'Oh, God, this is real.' Her mind screamed. She snatched her hand back and got quickly to her feet almost knocking her chair over. "I'm sorry. But, you're supposed to be dead. Not here. I'm sorry." Her voice sounded so tiny. She turned and fled the cantina.

Riddick sat there, stunned. 'What the hell just happened?' He had one thought, and one thought only: 'I hurt her.' He got up quickly and followed her. He wasn't going to lose her now.

0o0o0o

Ailis ran. Ran away from a ghost she had thought was in her past. She didn't stop running until she was at the infirmary. And once inside, she pushed her way into Dr. Steven Daus' office where she collapsed.

Steven rushed over and pulled her up, seeing her tears falling. Guessing that her meeting with Riddick didn't go well, he pulled her close and moved toward an exam table where he sat her down. She sobbed into his chest. Two years worth of tears were coming and there was no stopping them. He let her cry.

Next came anger. She lifted her head up and gave Steven a look of death. "Why didn't you tell me he was here on this station? Huh? Why? Didn't think I needed to know? Didn't think I would see him? What were you thinking?" She yelled as she pounded his arms. He let her get it out.

Finally she collapsed again, this time sinking into Steven's arms, where he held her. She was shaking so badly and Steven gave her time to calm down. Finally she did.

Settling beside her on the table he took her hand in his. He brushed a light kiss into her hair. "Why was it such a shock to see him?" He whispered. This wasn't supposed to happen.

Ailis pulled away from him. "Because, he's supposed to be dead. He's safer dead."

Steven brought his head down so he could look her in the eyes. "What? Why is he safer dead."

Ailis let out a sob. "Because...because there's someone after me because of the marker I have in my DNA. There's a merc on my ass who thinks that I know where he is. I couldn't bear for him to be caught again. He was safer when I thought he was dead. That way I couldn't be lying when I said that." She let out another sob.

"So. You are in trouble. Who's the merc?" Wheels started to turn. He had to think. A mercenary on this station after the two of them wasn't good.

"Marcus." She whispered.

"That piece of crap? Well, he's not going to get far here." Ailis looked up at him, her red, swollen eyes questioning. Steven gave her a gently hug. "Look, Embassador Gaius took pity on him when he arrived here. He's granted Riddick temporary immunity on the condition that he behaves."

Ailis was surprised. "Really? You mean he's safe here?" Relief swept through her.

Steven nodded. "Really. He's safe for the time being. You'd be proud of him. He's taking good care of Jack and behaving." He jumped off the table and pulled Ailis down with him. She was still shaky, but was able to stand. "Come on, you two have a lot of talking to do."

Steven led her out of his office and wasn't surprised to see Riddick blocking their exit out of the door. He stood there, staring at her. Steven knew that he would be here, that he would follow her.

He only hoped the younger man had heard everything. Their eyes met and he knew that he had. Good thing. Without a word he handed Ailis over to Riddick and the two of them left. Hopefully to put together some pieces of the puzzle that was their lives.

Riddick had a tight hold of Ailis' hand and he wasn't letting go. He was practically dragging her along the corridors of the station. Ailis was running to keep up. Neither one said a word.

Swiping a keycard into the reader, the door opened up to his quarters. Pulling her inside, he almost missed Jack who was sitting on the couch, reading. 'What the hell was she doing here at 11am?' She was supposed to be in class. It didn't matter. Not yet anyway, he had more important things to do.

Jack looked up and started to speak. Riddick held up his free hand. "Not one word." He finally stopped moving when they were safely in his room with the door closed.

Jack looked at Imam, who happened to catch a glimpse of Ailis as she was dragged into the room. "Who was that?" Her eyes were huge.

"That, my dear child, is the reason our Mr. Riddick is still alive." He came to Jack and lay a hand on her shoulder. "Let us go have our meal in the cantina. Let them have privacy."

As the two of them left, Jack couldn't help but have a smile plastered on her face. She had never, EVER, seen Riddick like that. She had a feeling things were about to change.

0o0o0o

Richard Riddick stopped dead in his tracks, his hand still clutching Ailis O'Neill's. His heart was hammering in chest. It felt like it was going to jump out any minute. Catching his breath he turned and looked at the woman in front of him. She was absolutely beautiful. Reaching for her, he placed a big hand on the back of her head and drew her in. Bending to kiss her, he looked into her eyes and saw what he so desperately needed to see. Love. He took her lips in such a kiss that when they broke, it was hard for them both to breathe.

Catching her breath, Ailis looked up at him. He looked exactly like she remembered him. Beautiful. She reached up and caressed his face. Remembering again how his skin felt. Suddenly her knees gave out and he had to catch her. Guiding her to the bed, he sat them both down. He still had her hands. He didn't want to let her go.

They sat there in silence, neither wanting to speak, knowing that so much had to be said. Finally Ailis found her voice. "I thought you were dead."

"I thought I was too. Almost was. A few times."

"Who was that? Out there?" Ailis was trying to change the subject. Mainly to calm her racing nerves.

"That's Jack. It's a long story. Let's just say that I've become her guardian." He chuckled. "Imagine that. Who woulda thunk it?" He brought her hand to his lips and brushed his lips across her hand. "But I don't want to talk about her yet." He pulled her closer.

Ailis shook her head. "No, I'm sure you don't."


	5. 5

Immunity - Chapter 5

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Disclaimer: Same as before

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Richard Riddick groaned, trying to open his eyes. His body felt like it had been hit with a ton of bricks. Remembering last night, he opened his eyes fully and saw what he suspected: Ailis was gone. He didn't think she was running away. She had always been an early riser wanting that first drink of coffee. Now she was just giving them both a chance to think. Groaning again, he closed his eyes. Memories of the night before came flooding back to him.

0o0o0o

_Looking down at her, he was slammed with instant lust. His animal was waking up. Two years of not having this woman had taken it's toll._

_Ailis touched his shoulder. It was like a rush of electricity through his body. He shivered and she dropped her hand. _

_Reaching up, he cupped her chin, bringing his lips to hers. She pulled him deeper and he was kissing her feverishly, desperately. He could smell her and it was intoxicating. When the kiss broke, neither could breathe. When she moved and touched his chest, he growled. Low and dangerous. Looking at her he tried to gain control of himself. He was losing control. SHE was making him lose control. _

_He saw her eyes were dark with desire. She reached up to touch his cheek and he gasped. The skin on his face and neck tingled as if someone had set a live wire to him. It was such an overwhelming sensation that it hurt. Not pain but pure, animal pleasure._

"_I can't control this." His voice was a low, bass growl that sounded less human, more animal. He could smell her desire and it was driving him to the brink. He grabbed her arm and pushed her roughly down. "I told you I'm losing control." His voice sounded dangerous, monstrous._

_Ailis looked into his eyes and saw something slide behind them. Riddick's beast was in there, waiting to get out. It was looking at her through his eyes. It saw it's mate, it's alpha female._

_He pulled at her clothes, tearing them. Getting to her skin was his first priority. Finally, they were both naked, heat rising from them both. Growling, his eyes raked over her body, taking in everything. Her desire was rising._

_She reached up and pulled his face close to hers. "Please." She whispered before she kissed him again, hungrily. Her power poured through him, like some warm electric liquid._

Groaning again, he covered his eyes before getting out of the bed. He needed to find her to assess the damage he may have done last night. He knew one thing though, he had found his mate. She had met his beast. She did not run from it, but had embraced it. He knew his beast wouldn't let him survive another two years without touching her.

0o0o0o

It hadn't been hard leaving Riddick's bed without waking him up. Ailis had known that he would sleep soundly, barely moving. Last night had taken much out of him. Flexing her shoulders, she knew that last night had taken much out of her, too. Gingerly, she reached up and touched the bite mark on her shoulder. She could already feel the welt begin to grow. She really didn't want to leave him, but she had some things to take care of. And she had some serious thinking to do. Being in the same room with that man was not conducive to proper thinking. She needed a hot shower to clear her head. And coffee, she needed coffee.

Seeing him like that last night had almost been scary. ALMOST was the operative word. She was surprised at how she had responded to him. She had been told time and time again, that Richard Riddick was an animal. In fact, he had told her that himself. She was surprised that his beast had seen some of that animal in her. Hey, who knew she had it in her. She couldn't wait to tell Sam. And maybe Jack. Just to get a rise out of him.

Entering her quarters, she saw the note right away. It simply stated that she was needed in Embassador Gaius' office to meet with him and Steven. Placing the note aside, she went immediately and took the hottest shower her body would allow.

After showering, Ailis made her way to the cantina before going Embassador Gaius' office. She knew they were expecting her, but they could wait. She wasn't quite sure what this was about, but she could guess. Maybe they had answers that she didn't. But first, she wanted coffee. The hotter, the better.

A soft knock granted her entrance to the large office.

Smiling, the Embassador looked her over. She was a small woman, not much taller than five feet. She had on a black tank top tucked into black jeans. She was wearing big, black work boots. To top the outfit off, she had her Browning hi-power 9mm in a hip holster. She had never been one to adhere to a dress code. And seeing as how she traveled to different prison systems, he figured she could dress comfortably. He preferred to dress more for business, a nice suit did that. "You look like those convicts you represent, dressed like that."

She gave a huge smile. "Sorry, Sir. Must blend in, you know." He smiled and motioned Ailis to sit down.

After taking the empty seat beside Steven, he reached out and gave her arm a quick squeeze. "Are things better?"

She gave him a small smile, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm not sure yet. I may have put him in danger."

Steven nodded. He knew what she was referring to. "We'll talk about that later." He faced the Embassador again. "We have other things to discuss."

Embassador Gaius gave a slight bow of his head. "Did you find who you were looking for, Ms. O'Neill?" He didn't use her title as he was the elder in this case. With much more experience than she.

"Yes, Sir. I did. Imam is very interested in going home. He wasn't aware of the search for him. He hasn't left the station before because he hasn't the funding. I assured him that it has been taken care of. When he is ready, he will be contacting you."

The Embassador nodded. "Very good. Very good. Now as to why Dr. Daus is here. Do you know?"

Ailis blushed. "It's Richard Riddick isn't it?" She wasn't too sure where this was going. She was almost afraid to know. Official meetings about Riddick tended to NOT go well.

Gaius nodded. "We need to find a way to safely get Mr. Riddick off this station."

Ailis looked up sharply. "You're not going to extradite him, are you? Has he done something wrong?" She was getting a bad feeling about this.

"No. No, dear. He has been a model citizen for this past year." He paused to see the surprise in Ailis' face. "Dr. Daus has informed me of your colorful past with him."

Ailis glared at Steven. "Is nothing sacred with you?" But she wasn't angry with her friend.

He shook his head and Ailis chuckled. "You know it isn't. Anyway, it was amazing luck that you came here when you did. That man is going crazy here. Being stuck on this tiny bucket of bolts could do that to anyone. We've been awfully lucky that he hasn't cracked yet."

Ailis looked at Steven with confusion. "But I don't understand what it has to do with me. I can't legally help him. He's a fugitive."

Steven started to argue, but Embassador Gaius interrupted. "But there is dear. YOU, have full diplomatic immunity. You cannot be detained, arrested or subpoenaed as a witness. You cannot be prosecuted. You have not committed any serious crimes."

Gaius could see her guilt all over her face. She lowered her eyes. "But, Sir, I have."

Both the Embassador and Steven started laughing. Steven caught his breath first. "Ailis, who you love is not a crime."

She snorted. "It is when it's WHO you love." Both men laughed harder. They were not making this any easier for her. She started laughing herself, it was kind of funny. In a strange way. "Okay, stop laughing at me. Tell me how I can help him. What does my diplomatic status have to do with things?"

"As his sponsor, he would have the same rights as you. Here, traveling, on Earth and the Helion system. He's not committed crimes in those areas." Gaius was hopeful. He needed to find a solution to this problem. He was starting to feel the heat as he had given the young man safety on this station though there was no legal reason for him to do so. He had given Riddick a second chance and so far it was working. But, he was fast coming to the end of what he could do. Ailis just may be the only solution. And if they played their cards right, there were many governments who would pay Richard B. Riddick well for his talents.

Ailis gave the Embassador a hard look. "But, Sir, the only way for me to sponsor him would be to...oh...you mean I have to...?" She suddenly found that she couldn't say more. Marriage to Richard Riddick was never something she considered. Not for one second. He'd never go for it.

Gaius gave her a warm smile, trying to comfort her. "Yes. As long as he is a recognized family member he has the same legal rights as you."

Steven decided to put in his two sense. "Think about it. You travel alone. You need the muscle. He's got that. He'll protect you with his life. You know that." He reached over and took Ailis' hand. "You are his sanity. You wouldn't believe how much he needs you and relies on you."

Ailis was uncertain. "You'll have to convince him of that." She got up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some thinking to do."

As Ailis rose, both men did also. She almost made it to the door before Steven stopped her. "Ailis, what's that?" He reached out and touched the welt lightly. At was large, red and already starting to purple. He could only guess how she got it.

Ailis flinched at the light touch. It smarted. "Ouch. Don't touch it." She hesitated before she turned around again. She really wasn't ready for a lecture.

She looked at both men, daring them to open their mouths. Embassador Gaius was smart, he stayed silent, his face neutral. Steven was not so smart. "He did that to you last night, didn't he?" There was a hint of anger in his soft spoken voice.

Ailis put her hand on Steven's arm, "Look, Steven, don't ask because I'm not going to tell you. I'm 34 years old. I think I'm a big girl now."

Steven looked to the Embassador for support, but found none. He faced Ailis again. "You are not a big girl, but he most certainly is a big boy." Riddick may be his friend, and he knew that he hadn't even looked at another woman in two years, but that didn't give him a right to use Ailis' body like this. "You may not be fragile, but you WILL break."

Ailis huffed. "Oh, come off it, Doc. In all the years I've known him..." She looked him directly in the eyes, angry. "He has not, I repeat, NOT done anything I haven't let him. Besides, I'm sure I left a mark or two."

She turned away and was out of the door. But not before she saw Steven's jaw drop. He could do nothing but stare at the closed door. He saw in her eyes what he had seen in Riddick's eyes; pure, animal attraction.

Steven heard a soft chuckle behind him. "I told you she was a spitfire. I think our boy Riddick has finally met his match." Gaius couldn't help but smile. That young woman had an energy that he couldn't begin to fathom. He could see why Richard Riddick was so drawn to her. They were suited in so many ways.

"I guess you're right." Steven said as he flopped down in his chair again. He took a huge breath and let it out. "Do you want to fill him in or shall I?" Steven asked.

Embassador Gaius thought. He really didn't want to be in Riddick's shoes when Dr. Daus confronted him about the mark on Ailis. "I think that I'll let you do the honors, my friend."


	6. 6

Immunity - Chapter 6

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Disclaimer: Same as before. Don't own a thing.

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Ailis took to walking the corridors of the space station. Not really paying attention to where she was going. She didn't even pay attention to the other people that were on the station. The words of her friends still running amok in her mind. 'Marry Richard, that's absurd. He'll never go for it. Even with me.'

Rounding a corner, Ailis was hit square in the back, landing face first to the floor, her Browning knocked out of its holster and skittering away down the corridor. Trying to turn over, she found a heavy boot pressing down into her back. The pressure making it hard to breathe.

"Scream, and I'll crush you." Came the deep , heavily accented voice.

"You know I never will." She ground out between breaths.

The pressure lifted and she turned over, getting a better look at her assailant. It was Marcus. The man was tall, over six feet, with dark hair cut close to his head. Ailis thought that it made his ears stick out more. He had a heavy, heavy Mexican accent. Marcus was a big man with huge, broad shoulders, easily outweighing Ailis by 100 kilos, if not more. He had a reputation for using his size as intimidation. That, and he was just plain evil.

Marcus pulled his boot off of Ailis' chest. Glancing up, Ailis noticed that he had a gun pointed at her. The same place his foot had just vacated. "What now, Marcus? Hmm? Come to threaten me again? I've already told you everything I know." Ailis wasn't afraid yet, just annoyed. She really didn't think that he'd do anything to her in public. "What do you want with me now?"

The man bent down and grabbed a handful of Ailis' hair, pulling her up by it. Ailis used both hands to try and pry his hands out of her hair. "You're such a bastard, you know that?" She spat through gritted teeth.

"You flatter me. You will come with me. Now." He continued to pull her up. Once she was standing fully, he let go of her hair. He then placed the gun in her back. Pushing her forward. "You see, I knew that following you would lead me to my prey." He pushed the gun further into her back. That will leave a mark. "Move."

Ailis stopped and stood still. Or tried to. "You know he's here. It's public knowledge. So what do you want with me?" Fear started to bubble in her stomach.

"You are going to ensure that I have Riddick's full cooperation." There was a sneer in his voice.

"You mean I'm bait." That much was clear. That meant that he was going to kill her this time, not just torture her. She tried to pull away from him but his grip was to strong.

"Yes, you are." Marcus pulled her close, circling one of his arms through hers, pinning it to her back. He brought a large hand up to her breast, giving it a hard squeeze. It was all Ailis could do not to cry out with the pain. Memories of their last encounter filled her mind. 'Oh god. Let him kill me quick. I can't go through this again.'

Her prayers were not answered. Marcus brought his mouth to Ailis' neck and started to kiss her. Taking nibbles that were more bites, leaving teeth marks along her jugular.

"Get your hands off my wife." Riddick had come around the corner and stood staring at the scene before him. He held her Browning loosely in his right hand. He was using every ounce of willpower he had not to launch himself at Marcus. He could smell Ailis' fear. Riddick knew that he was more dangerous than Marcus, but she wasn't afraid of him. She was afraid of Marcus.

"Your wife? Isn't that convenient. But, I will not take my hands away from her." He squeezed her breast again, this time bringing a cry of pain from Ailis. "See? She enjoys it. Just like last time."

Ailis looked at Riddick, then her gun. "Rid, don't shoot him." She was breathing heavily, partially because of the position of her body, but mostly because of the pain.

He sneered at Marcus. "I ain't gonna shoot nobody. Not yet anyway." Ailis thought she had never seen him look so dangerous. He had his goggles on, so she couldn't read his eyes. Which was probably just as well. "What do you mean 'last time?' You raped her didn't you?"

Laughing, Marcus suddenly released Ailis, pushing her into the nearest wall. Hitting with such force, she lost her breath as she sunk to the floor. The world around her seemed to be spinning as she forced the rising nausea down. "Of course I raped her, it was delicious, she was delicious."

Finally gaining her senses, she turned to face the two men. They were facing each other like gunslingers. Marcus had his weapon raised, Riddick didn't. 'Why didn't he?', Ailis wondered. The Browning was still held loosely at his side. All Ailis could do was watch helplessly as these two towering men battled it out.

Riddick was still, trying to plan his next move. Scanning the area, he noticed spectators were starting to arrive to watch the show. He felt Ailis' eyes on him. He wanted to throw her weapon to her, but Marcus was in the way. Instead, he tossed the Browning in the opposite direction, behind him, hoping his backup was there.

The corridor was getting noisy. But Riddick didn't let it distract him. The news had spread like fire. Richard Riddick was about to kill. It was something that nobody got to see and live. It was something EVERYBODY wanted to see. Steven and several military police had finally managed to push their way to the front of the crowd. All were stunned to Riddick standing aside watching the scene.

Riddick may not have been distracted by the crowd, but Marcus was. The mob was getting bigger, noisier. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ailis rise and rush towards him. He swung at her. She swept his arm to one side, past her. She then brought her knee up into his stomach, hard. She stumbled back and Marcus ended on all fours, trying to catch his breath. His weapon having been knocked out of his hand.

As Marcus dropped to all fours, Ailis swept her boot out, catching Marcus in the right elbow. The joint snapped, the force bringing his face into the ground. Blood and teeth were forced out of his mouth. Ailis staggered back just a bit, pulling a small dagger out of her boot.

As soon as he saw Ailis stagger, Riddick tried to move forward. He had eyes only for Ailis. He didn't see Steven and the MP's come up and hold him back.

"No, Rid, this is for her." Steven said calmly as the MP's put cuffs on him.

Riddick tried to lunge forward, but was stopped by the two big men. "Shit, Doc, let me go." He growled.

Steven was calm. "No. I'm not going to let you send yourself back to slam." Riddick gave him a glare. "No. Watch her. Really watch her. And remember what I was telling you about that DNA marker. And that mark on her shoulder." Riddick paled at that. "Look at it. It's almost healed. She seems to have some of your fast recuperative abilities." Both men, and everyone else present, had their eyes on Ailis to see what she would do.

She didn't wait to surprise them more. Marcus was spitting blood, trying to get up, his right arm obviously broken. Ailis moved quickly to him, bringing his left arm behind him, bent at a painful angle. She placed her knife tip into the soft spot under Marcus' chin. The tip of the blade drawing blood.

Gasping for breath, Marcus was trying to speak, trying to breathe. Looking directly into Riddick's eyes, she bent low to Marcus' ears. "I could push this blade up into you brain." She whispered.

Riddick thought he saw something slide behind her eyes. Something animal. He knew that look, he had it himself. "Shit, Doc, we have to stop her. She's gonna kill him." Steven nodded and the two MP's released Riddick's handcuffs. He moved slowly to where Ailis had Marcus held.

Marcus suddenly coughed, and the blade pushed in further. He hissed in pain. His eyes darting everywhere. He wasn't sure who the real evil was here. He felt the blade slide deeper into his chin. Another hiss of pain escaped his lips. Ailis smiled.

"Ailis, don't." This was from Steven, who had pushed himself away from the crowd. He was trying to catch her attention as Riddick slid beside her. "You know you don't need to do this." He was rushing forward with several Military Police. He stopped about five feet from the three.

Riddick stepped right next to Ailis, gently taking her hand off the dagger. He pulled the blade out of the man's chin, bringing more pain. Riddick then scooped his other arm around Ailis, drawing her away from Marcus. "It's over. You don't have to kill him." The two were then shoved back to let the military police move forward and take Marcus into custody.

Riddick let himself be pushed away. He drew Ailis into his arms. Never in his life would he have backed down from a fight like this. But, something in him had told him that she could handle it. Gazing down at the woman in his arms, he wondered if he was indeed becoming weak.

Suddenly, he felt Ailis shaking. He quickly pushed off his goggles and bent to look at her face. Sure enough, she was crying. He could no longer sense her fear or her anger, so he really had no idea why she was crying. "Hey." He said as gently as he could.

Ailis looked up at him with tears in her eyes. Her face broke out in a huge smile. That one that lit up rooms.

"Keep that up and I'll have to put the goggles back on. What's it for?"

"You said 'wife.'" She whispered.

Ahh, now he got it. "Yes, I did." He pulled her again to his chest. Richard B. Riddick had just rejoined the human race. Voluntarily.

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A/N: This is it. Completed. I have more Riddick/Ailis tales. The Beast Within is actually one.


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